Question

how public opinion about government affect legitimacy? what elements are important for policymakers to understand? how can policy analyst think strategically about legitimacy when developing policy?​

Answer 1

Answer:

Views on the use and role of public opinion in forming policy can often be as diverse as the opinions themselves. Winston Churchill took the view that there was "no such thing as public opinion. There is only published opinion". While Abraham Lincoln's take was simply: "Public opinion in this country is everything".

Foreign policy provides an interesting starting point, with historical examples showing where public opinion has and hasn't affected government polices.